“Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the Lord.” — Joshua 9:14
The Israelites were continually triumphant in their battles, defeating their enemies across the land of Canaan with the help of God, who fought alongside them. After the fall of Ai, “the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites” joined forces to fight against Israel (Joshua 9:1–2).
However, not all the Hivites joined this alliance. The inhabitants of Gibeon, also Hivites, chose a different path. Knowing they could not stand against Israel’s God, they devised a clever deception (Joshua 9:3–15). They dressed in worn-out garments, carried old sacks and cracked wineskins, and brought moldy bread to make it appear as though they had traveled from a far country. Their goal was to trick Israel into making a peace treaty with them.
When the Gibeonites met with Joshua and the leaders of Israel, the evidence seemed convincing. The Israelites saw their tattered clothing, examined their provisions, and even tasted the bread to confirm their story. Everything their senses perceived appeared genuine. But there was one thing they failed to do, they did not seek the presence and counsel of God.
As a result, Israel was deceived into making a covenant they were not permitted to make, contrary to God’s instruction in Deuteronomy 7:1–2 (NKJV):
““When the Lord your God brings you into the land which you go to possess, and has cast out many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than you, and when the Lord your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them.”
Yet when the truth came out, Joshua and the leaders honored their vow to the Gibeonites, understanding that faithfulness to one’s word was required by God. Deuteronomy 23:21 (NKJV) says,
““When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it; for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin to you.” Deuteronomy 23:21
The Gibeonites were spared but placed in servitude to Israel, serving as woodcutters and water carriers (Joshua 9:16–27).
From this passage, we learn a valuable truth. The Israelites trusted solely in what their senses perceived and what their judgment concluded but not in what God could reveal. And we often do the same. We rely on tangible evidence, assuming our senses and reasoning are sufficient to make choices, enter agreements, or form opinions without pausing to seek God’s counsel. The Israelites’ oversight was not ignorance, but independence, the quiet assumption that they could handle the matter on their own.
This kind of story should not be unfamiliar to us. How often do we fall into that same trap? Many believers today enter into relationships, partnerships, or major life decisions without first seeking God’s guidance. They are led by emotions, appearance, or logic. By what feels right, looks good, or seems reasonable. Yet later, they find themselves facing painful consequences they never expected.
Have you ever wondered why we fall into this kind of trap over and over again? It’s because we have lost our sense of God’s presence. Let us look at the life of King David, who faced similar situations in his life. King David, “a man after God’s own heart,” never made a move without inquiring of the Lord. Whether in times of battle or personal struggle, he always sought God’s direction and depended fully on Him.
David’s heart carried the highest honor for God, and he was very sensitive to the presence of the Holy Spirit. Even when he had the opportunity to kill king Saul prepared and encouraged by his loyal servants, he refused, saying,
“The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed.” — 1 Samuel 24:6
The conviction of the Holy Spirit guided David to honor God’s will above his own desires. Even when he sinned, his prayer revealed what mattered most to him,
“Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.” — Psalm 51:11
David didn’t ask God to preserve his kingship, wealth, or family. His greatest concern was the presence of God that dwelt with him. This is the kind of heart we all need, a heart that fears being separated from God’s presence. David understood that the Holy Spirit was his connection to God. The Holy Spirit drew him closer to God, guided his decisions, and convicted his heart when he was tempted to sin that crushed God’s heart.
Why don’t we have that same sensitivity today? Because many are spiritually dead.
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins” Ephesians 2:1
Our sins separate us from God. But Jesus Christ tore the veil that once separated us from the Father. Through His blood, we have been brought near again to God.
So how do we restore that fellowship with the Father? The Word of God gives us the answer,
“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” — Acts 2:38
When we repent, believe in the LORD Jesus Christ and baptized our sins are forgiven, then we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead now dwells in us, giving us life and restoring our spiritual sensitivity.
“That the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” — Romans 8:11
Jesus said, “We must be born again” — born of water and the Spirit (John 3:5–6). We all need to receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit not only raise us from the dead, but He is also our connection to God, for He is God.
As the apostle Paul wrote, “For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10). The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth, not just some truth. He is our Teacher, our Guide, our Comforter, and our Helper. He convicts us when we are tempted to sin and strengthens us to walk in righteousness.
He is everything we need in order not to be deceived by the world or by our own understanding. The Holy Spirit is the divine sense we need, the spiritual awareness that keeps us connected to God’s will, discerning His voice above every other.
When we lack the awareness of God’s presence, we easily depend on our own understanding. We act without praying, speak without listening, and decide without seeking the Lord’s counsel. That’s when we fall into traps we could have avoided, not because God was silent, but because we weren’t sensitive to His Spirit.
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